Murder accused ‘was worried he was going to have a breakdown’

The man accused of murdering riding instructor Fiona Southwell shared a message on Facebook on the day of the killing saying he was “fighting his demons.”

Daniel Edwards, 22, had appealed to friends the day before the murder of Miss Southwell to let him stay at their home “to clear his head”, saying he was worried he was going to have a breakdown, a jury at Hull Crown Court heard.

Miss Southwell was found in a pool of blood at Grange Farm, near Hornsea, on Friday July 15, after being stabbed 19 times.

At 10.16am the same day a message shared by Mr Edwards on the social networking site read: “I’ve been fighting my demons for so many years I am beginning to think I should call a truce.”

A previous message shared on Facebook on July 1, which showed a night-time scene, carried the words: “One day I’m just gonna say f*** it all and let my demons out to play.”

On July 12 Mr Edwards sent a text message asking childhood friend Rich Hunt to ring him. He sent a similar message the following day, followed on the Thursday by a request for an “important” favour.

Mr Edwards went on to ask if he could stay at Mr Hunt’s a night or two “to clear my head.”

He added: I’m just worried I am going to go bk (sic) to how I was and I feel I am going to have a breakdown.”

Mr Hall replied that they didn’t have room and asked whether they should pop over.

Mr Edwards replied: “I’ll sleep (sic) floor mate, my head f*** fell out with Kerry and Ann fell out with my Dad. I was close to going on hard drugs last night if you can come up.”

Prosecutor David Gordon has claimed Edwards resented losing his job looking after horses at Grange Farm to Miss Southwell two months earlier.

He alleged the “vicious, relatively protracted” attack suggested “someone who had a grudge or resentment against her or somebody who was in a disturbed state of mind or both”. Edwards of King Street, Hornsea, denies murder.